Showing posts with label Lake Champlain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lake Champlain. Show all posts
Happy Tuesday friends! Today I am so excited to share that I shared an instagram reel over on IG early this morning all about a beautiful winter ferry ride on Lake Champlain!! You can watch it by clicking HERE!
On Saturday (before the snowstorm hit) we headed over to Burlington to do a bit of shopping and had the most delightful picnic lunch in our car. It was sweet and simple and the beauty of Lake Champlain and the lightly snow dusted mountains was simply stunning.
As the ferry cut through the ice I was reminded again how much beauty surrounds our area. What a beautiful gift that this is and one I do not take for granted. You can see a beautiful glimpse of this area of the world over on IG early by clicking HERE!
Happy Tuesday friends- I hope you enjoy the beauty of our area in our upstate New York world.
Happy Tuesday friends! Today I am so excited to share that I shared an instagram reel over on IG yesterday all about a beautiful fall ferry ride on Lake Champlain!! You can watch it by clicking HERE!
You may wonder why I mention the instagram reels that I create and why it matters about watching, liking, saving, commenting, and sharing my reels. I wouldn't know about this either if social media wasn't part of my job, but each time that you watch one of my reels, like them, comment on them share them or save them I make a small commission which adds up to help me. It doesn't cost you anything, but it does help me. THANK YOU! Just watching a reel and liking it are huge helps!! Thank you again for everything friends!
Happy Fall- I hope you enjoy the beauty of our area in upstate New York world.
a visit to the ausable marsh wildlife management area and tender reflections from this area // peru, new york
October 23, 2024
This past weekend we headed out for a brief adventure outside. As some of you know, I haven't been able to do all of the fall hiking and adventuring that I love to do at this time of year, because I seriously hurt my back a couple of weeks ago. And while I was still in a lot of pain the day was absolutely beautiful and I was so thankful to see that beauty up close.
We headed back to a place that holds special significance for me as some of you who have been around the blog for a longtime will know. Our trip to the Ausabale Marsh Wildlife Management Area in 2013 was... tender. By this point in my health journey I was struggling to walk more than a few feet alone and my precious dad was holding me up. The pictures have some laughter in them, but behind the scenes there was a lot of fear as I had just been diagnosed with Advanced Late Stage Lyme Disease and we knew that something was seriously wrong. I had absolutely no idea the journey that was in front of me to walk but what I do remember that day most of all is that my precious father kept speaking words of life and truth and hope into my situation (which he did for my whole life and throughout the years of being sick in the darkest of moments).
As I held onto my dad tightly struggling to have the effort to walk even a few feet, but dad kept whispering words of encouragement saying things like, "The Lord is going to Heal You", "You are going to run and not faint", "You have good things in front of you"... and so much more.
Seven years later, when healing was in full force, in the Spring of 2020 and when the world was in lockdown, my mom and I headed back to this area to get outside nearly everyday. We would walk the sandy beaches and quietly breathe in the fresh air outside with no one around. It was during these visits that we prayerfully considered what we should do and knew that the Lord was leading to go back to Tennessee. On a very specific walk there my mom said, "You should apply for teaching jobs" which was of course a dream, but I felt an impossible one after so many years of being outside the classroom. I looked at her skeptically and she said, "Go for it"... and sure enough ... my beautiful mom was right and the Lord opened the door to the most incredible opportunity.
Announcing and going back into teaching was one of the most beautiful full circle moments here on Caravan Sonnet and I still have tears at the Lord's goodness. That year... still leaves me speechless.
So whenever we head back to this area... it is always a tender spot filled with lots of precious memories that are deep treasures in my heart. There are of course new things that we are praying about, and new adventures in front and being back in this area was a tender reminder of how the Lord has answered miraculously in the past and will answer again.
I hope that you are having a wonderful Wednesday friends! The beauty that surrounded us was peaceful and I hope that these pictures bring a sense of beauty to your day!
Happy Thursday friends! Today I am so excited to share that I shared an instagram reel over on IG yesterday all about beautiful fall drives in the adirondacks over to Lake Champlain!! You can watch it by clicking HERE!
I created a poll that takes two seconds to answer as a fun addition. I would love to hear your thoughts!
You may wonder why I mention the instagram reels that I create and why it matters about watching, liking, saving, commenting, and sharing my reels. I wouldn't know about this either if social media wasn't part of my job, but each time that you watch one of my reels, like them, comment on them share them or save them I make a small commission which adds up to help me. It doesn't cost you anything, but it does help me. THANK YOU! Just watching a reel and liking it are huge helps!! Thank you again for everything friends! Happy Fall- I hope you enjoy the small clips into our upstate new york world.
Happy September y'all! It is hard for me to believe that we are in September but as we look to fall in the Adirondack area quickly approaching, I am so excited to share just a few of my favorite and fun fall activities around the Lake Champlain area that should definitely be added to your bucket list if you live in this region or are visiting for the first time!
Drive to See Fall Foliage
Starting in mid-September (or later depending on the summer/early fall weather) through October the gorgeous leaves burst into color creating a beautiful view for all to see. Surrounding Lake Champlain are both the Adirondack and Green Mountains so you can see so many vibrant colors on both sides of the Lake.
Hiking
Both the Adirondack Mountains and the Green Mountains surround the beautiful Lake Champlain. If you love hiking in the New England area then this area of the United States is a hikers dream. If you are interested in hiking the Adirondacks and want to hike all of the "46 peaks" for the "46ers club" you can find out more about this HERE.
Not ready to hike a "46er peak" but still want to hike in the Adirondacks? One of my favorite mountains is Rattlesnake which offers wonderful views of Long Pond, Lake Champlain, Vermont, and more. You can read about my hike on Rattlesnake Mountain several summers ago by clicking HERE!
If you are interested in finding out more about hiking in the Green Mountains you can join the "Green Mountain Club" and find out more about it HERE.
I have shared before about one of my favorite towns, Essex, and all of its adorable charms. Essex is just one town along the lake that offers adorable New England charm, quaint and yummy dining options with beautiful lake side views, a rich and cultural experience, and unique shopping during the fall. You can read more about all of my favorite towns along the New York side of Lake Champlain HERE.
Biking
Just like it is for summer, biking is a perfect activity for the fall months! All along Lake Champlain there are tons of different bike paths that you can choose from that will take you around the Lake, or by the Lake (like the beautiful views that the Burlington Vermont Bike Path offers), and some that even "cross the lake" using one of the ferries or bridges.
Ride the Cloudsplitter Gondola at Whiteface Mountain
I shared about this adventure we did in the early spring and the views from the top are breathtaking. You can read more about our adventure HERE and the views with the leaves changed would be simply stunning. You can find out more about the Cloudsplitter Gondola at Whiteface Mountain HERE.
Adirondack Balloon Festival
The Adirondack Balloon Festival is a yearly festival that happens every September in Glens Falls, NY and in Queensbury, NY. You can find out more about this event by clicking HERE. There is also a Vermont Balloon Festival which is so fun and is wonderful to check out if you are wanting to be in Vermont.
Fall Festivals
There are many Fall festivals that are held in the towns and cities along Lake Champlain!
Farmers Markets
There are numerous towns along Lake Champlain that hosts farmers markets each week. Each of these farmers markets offer the best of local products and offer a wonderful opportunity to support the local farms.
Take a Weekend Trip
There are numerous weekend trips that you can take surrounding the Lake Champlain area. You could head north into Canada or south to New York City or over to Boston... honestly for driving less than 5 hours you can step into a different world for the weekend all while witnessing the beauty of the fall colors!
Heroic Corn Maze, Fort Ticonderoga
If y'all know me at all than you know I love corn mazes. This corn maze in Fort Ticonderoga is also known as the "heroic corn maze" in Fort Ticonderoga is a family friendly activity for people of all ages to enjoy. This six-acre corn maze is designed especially for Fort Ticonderoga providing a variety of opportunities (including historical ones) for people to find in this life size puzzle. The maze is open throughout the season through mid-October and even has days that the maze can be explored at night. Find out more information about this fun fall event by clicking HERE.
Another fun thing I discovered last year was the Moonlight Madness Corn Maze at Hathaway Farms in Vermont! I definitely can't wait to do this this year! You can find out more information HERE.
Applefolkfest at Penfield Museum
Penfield Museum which is located in Crown Point, NY (on the lower part of Lake Champlain) hosts "Applefolkfest" each year which is an excellent fall tradition to be apart of. As the name suggests, the museum is paying homage and celebrating the staple of fall in northern, New York, the apple. You can find out more about this family friendly even by clicking HERE.
Apple Picking
I love fall. I really do. It makes me feel all cozy inside and there is something about going apple picking that makes it seem like the seasons have transitioned. There are numerous places to go apple picking in this area. (The same thing is true for going to pick out a pumpkin!)
There are so many different things to do around Lake Champlain in the Fall and these are just a few of the favorites!! What are your favorites?
Come for an early morning row on the lake with me...
One of my favorite things to do for a simple and slow morning is to wake up early and row on the lake... join me for this sweet morning simple and slow living adventure HERE. Take a moment to share with me your favorite simple and slow morning routines in the comments on IG- I would love to hear!
Happy Wednesday friends- I hope you have an incredible day!
Water Activities
It probably goes without saying that the water activities to do on the lake are endless. From boating to tubing to sailing to kayaking to skiing, the lake is a water lovers dream. I shared a couple of years ago about a typical day on the lake for us - especially as I was growing up. We spent hours upon hours from dawn till dusk skiing, tubing, and boating. If you love playing on the water than you will find tons of different activities to do.
Visit the Beach
Walk Around One of the Adorable Towns on the Shores of Lake Champlain
There are so many different things to do on Lake Champlain during the summer! What are your favorites?
Visit the Beach
There are so many beautiful spots along Lake Champlain and with over 50 public beaches there are gorgeous areas for families and friends to gather for a day at the Beach or even have a picnic. Some of you may remember my post on the New York Marshland and Valcour Island from years ago. That New York Marshland is a perfect example of how gorgeous these beaches are!
Walk Around One of the Adorable Towns on the Shores of Lake Champlain
I love all of the cute towns along Lake Champlain, including one of my favorites, Essex, and all of its adorable charms. A couple of years ago I shared some of my favorite towns to visit along the New York side of Lake Champlain, including Fort Ticonderoga, Westport, Essex, Crown Point, and Valcour. These, and many other towns along the lake offer adorable New England charm, quaint and yummy dining options with beautiful lake side views, a rich and cultural experience, and unique shopping.
Biking
All along Lake Champlain there are tons of different bike paths that you can choose from that will take you around the Lake, or by the Lake (like the beautiful views that the Burlington Vermont Bike Path offers), and some that even "cross the lake" using one of the ferries or bridges.
National Museums and Landmarks
Throughout the Lake Champlain area there are tons of National Landmarks due to the incredible American History that was fought in this area and also lots of National Museums for those who are interested in seeing those during their visits.
Diving
Many people think of diving as something solely found in the more tropical parts of the world but may be surprised to find out that Lake Champlain offers fantastic opportunities for those who love diving. There are nine known shipwrecks and most of them have been very well preserved due to the cold-water environment. What divers will also be pleased to discover is that beyond some of the boats that are from the 1800s, there is actual parts of the Horse Ferry (which was featured in National Geographic) which is the only known wreck of a horse-powered ferry in the United States!
Finally, beyond the shipwrecks that are found in Lake Champlain divers will be able to experience vertical cliffs that are extremely dramatic and often only found in the Bahamas. Interested in finding out more? Click HERE to go to the Waterfront Diving Center website in Burlington, Vermont!
Fishing
Fishing competitions, including the Bass Competition are huge parts of the community here on Lake Champlain. But whether you just enjoy casting your net out in a leisurely manner (with someone else who will do the worms for you *smiles*) or you are one who likes to fish for competition, Lake Champlain offers several different options to explore.
Sailing
I admit that sailing when I was a kid was not one of my favorite activities. Those of you who grew up with me and are reading this are laughing because it was actually quite comical how many different circumstances happened when we would sail. I won't bore you here, but suffice it to say that it didn't become one of my favorite activities until I grew older. My mama loves to sail and has often joked that she is praying that I will marry a man who loves to sail too. She loves to be up at the crack of dawn, sailing in her baby sunfish, and would spend hours upon hours in our sailboat if she had the opportunity. As the years have passed I, as I have mentioned, have honestly grown to love it. While financially we have not had our "bigger" sailboat in in years it is still one of my favorite activities to recommend to people.
If you don't own a sailboat or don't know how to sail you can easily learn how to at the Lake at the Community Sailing Center in Burlington. You can find out more on their website by clicking HERE.
Burlington, Vermont Jazz Festival
Every year Burlington hosts a Jazz festival that is so much fun. If you enjoy live music (especially jazz music) then you are in for a treat and I definitely recommend planning your trip around this event! You can find out all of the details for the upcoming year on their website by clicking HERE.
Hiking
Both the Adirondack Mountains and the Green Mountains surround the beautiful Lake Champlain. If you love hiking then this area of the United States is a hikers dream. If you are interested in hiking the Adirondacks and want to hike all of the "46 peaks" for the "46ers club" you can find out more about this HERE. If you are interested in finding out more about hiking in the Green Mountains you can join the "Green Mountain Club" and find out more about it HERE.
Looking for waterfalls in the Adirondack/ Lake Champlain Area? Consider joining in on the #adk50falls challenge (you can read about the falls I have visited HERE!)
Looking for waterfalls in the Adirondack/ Lake Champlain Area? Consider joining in on the #adk50falls challenge (you can read about the falls I have visited HERE!)
Island Hop
There are many islands scattered through Lake Champlain. While some are privately owned or protected by the state there are several islands that you can go to by boat for a picnic or to camp out on. Don't have a boat? Consider visiting Burton Island which is a Vermont State Park that can be accessed (for free) by ferry!
There are many islands scattered through Lake Champlain. While some are privately owned or protected by the state there are several islands that you can go to by boat for a picnic or to camp out on. Don't have a boat? Consider visiting Burton Island which is a Vermont State Park that can be accessed (for free) by ferry!
There are so many different things to do on Lake Champlain during the summer! What are your favorites?
Happy Tuesday y'all! Today I am excited to share a few suggestions for memorial day activities and things to do around the Lake Champlain area! Since this area is steeped in history, there are truly so many wonderful activities that can be experienced to celebrate the true meaning of this holiday weekend and also many exciting activities to "kick off" the early summer season! Enjoy y'all!
picture courtesy of Fort Ticonderoga
A Salute to the Service of the Armed Forces at Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga (steeped in History) has many events that take place throughout the entire weekend, but May 28th has an entire day dedicated to salute the service of the armed forces of the United States. Starting in the morning and continuing throughout the afternoon there are activities all throughout the day. You can read the entire schedule HERE. There is a cost for admission, but children under 4 are free.
Attend a Parade
There are numerous parades that are taking place in the many towns and cities of Lake Champlain. You can find a listing of all of the Vermont Memorial Day parades by clicking HERE! The largest parade in Vermont, which takes places in Vergennes, begins at 11am. You can find out more details on this specific parade by clicking HERE.
Take the Family to the Farmers Market
Numerous Farmers Markets open up this weekend and there is no shortage of the different types and places that you could attend. Type in "farmers market" and your town and find out the times and places. Interested in attending the Burlington Farmers Market? You can find out more information HERE!
Great Adirondack Garage Sale
Every day throughout the weekend there will be the Great Adirondack Garage Sale held along a 200-mile "trail". If you are looking for a great bargain you won't want to miss this exciting event! You can find out more on their website by clicking HERE!
photo courtesy of Vermont City Marathon
Run in, Volunteer, or Cheer on the Participants of the Vermont City Marathon & Relay
There are several runs that are taking place around Lake Champlain, but the Vermont City Marathon and Relay takes place in downtown Burlington this Sunday. Stop on by, participate, or volunteer in this exciting event! (Interested in finding out about other running events that take place in Vermont? Check out the "Run Vermont" website to find out about lots of other events coming up in the future!
There are so many different things to do on Lake Champlain on Memorial Day Weekend! What are your favorites?
Happy Thursday friends! I hope that your week has been going well. It has been a busy week at school. If you missed my Instagram post (click HERE), then the school that I work at had to make the difficult decision to go to virtual learning and a stressful 48 hours later we embarked on this new adventure that will last through the Thanksgiving Break. I am grateful for the safety decision that my school made, but I deeply miss my students and it has been a struggle for all of us in this new adjustment. So we are taking things one day at a time and definitely appreciate your thoughts and prayers for all of us. In the meantime I appreciate your patience with the delay in a few blog posts in this unexpected change and season.
Today I am excited to share about a beautiful drive overlooking Lake Champlain that we took when we were in upstate New York back in October. Because we were up in New York for my grandmother's funeral we were observing COVID guidelines and had a delightful time following the guidelines and spending lots and lots of time out in the outdoors and in the Adirondack Mountains (which y'all know I love). One day we decided that we would take a drive up along Lake Champlain and it was simply gorgeous.
The lake and the mountains were alive and deep with color. It was so stunning and a beautiful fall day.
I hope that you love these beautiful pictures and enjoy the beauty! Do you have a favorite fall drive that you love to take this time of year?
Over the years on the blog I have shared different events and activities going on in the Lake Champlain area (including Summer things to do on Lake Champlain and also Fall Activities on Lake Champlain), and with Memorial Day quickly approaching this weekend I wanted to share some of my favorite activities to do in this area on this specific weekend. Since this area has so many varied things to do, (and steeped in history), there are truly so many wonderful activities that can be experienced to celebrate the true meaning of this holiday weekend and also many exciting activities to "kick off" the early summer season! Enjoy y'all!
Memorial Day Weekend- Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga has many events that take place throughout the entire weekend, which you can read about HERE. There is a cost for admission, but children under 4 are free.
Crown Point Memorial Day Celebration
Similar to Fort Ticonderoga, Crown Point is having a full weekend of activities. There is an entire list of activities that are being offered (many of them for free) that you can find out about HERE!
Attend a Parade
There are numerous parades that are taking place in the many towns and cities of Lake Champlain. You can find a listing of all of the Vermont Memorial Day parades by clicking HERE! The largest parade in Vermont, which takes places in Vergennes, begins at 11am. You can find out more details on this specific parade by clicking HERE.
Take the Family to the Farmers Market
Numerous Farmers Markets open up this weekend and there is no shortage of the different types and places that you could attend. Type in "farmers market" and your town and find out the times and places. Interested in attending the Burlington Farmers Market? You can find out more information HERE!
Great Adirondack Garage Sale
Every day throughout the weekend there will be the Great Adirondack Garage Sale held along a 200-mile "trail". If you are looking for a great bargain you won't want to miss this exciting event! You can find out more on their website by clicking HERE!
Whiteface Veterans' Memorial Highway Opening
Starting Friday, May 24th, Whiteface Veterans' Memorial Highway is re-opening! This road leads you directly to the summit of the mountain and allows gorgeous views spanning hundreds of miles (and on a clear day you can see as far as Vermont and Canada)! This is the perfect activity to do for the whole family, especially if you are looking for something disability friendly to do. There are lots of things to do at the summit including visiting a castle, a restaurant, and a gift shop. Find out more information HERE!
Run in, Volunteer, or Cheer on the Participants of the Vermont City Marathon & Relay
There are several runs that are taking place around Lake Champlain, but the Vermont City Marathon and Relay takes place in downtown Burlington this Sunday. Stop on by, participate, or volunteer in this exciting event! (Interested in finding out about other running events that take place in Vermont? Check out the "Run Vermont" website to find out about lots of other events coming up in the future!
I hope that these events give you a spring board for wanting to explore this area a little bit more during this holiday weekend! I can't wait for this weekend and all of its fun activities! There are so many different things to do on Lake Champlain on Memorial Day Weekend! What are your favorites?
Happy Monday friends! I hope you are having a wonderful start to this new week! This past weekend turned into one of the most beautiful summer weekends of the summer!
On Saturday I had the most wonderful special brunch, then caught up with some dear friends who are such an encouragement, and did a short hike. There is something about spending time about these tall trees that just makes you feel small and inspired at the same time.
Saturday, while hiking, I finalized the last few details of our Alaska trip plans. There had been some debate (okay a LOT) internally about some places that I wanted to see desperately, but as wisdom was given it became quickly obvious that it would be impossible to hit everything. The hard part was that everything looks amazing so it is hard to give anything up. I am though excited about the final decisions and am so excited about the trip that is coming up! And I have already started an itinerary of dream places to visit for a future trip back. hahaha!
Some of my favorite times of the summer are spent on this porch... talking with loved ones, catching up with friends, and enjoying the beauty. The evening white lights make it even more cozy in the woods. *smiles*
Yesterday (Sunday) was a fun filled day on the water! It was a perfect water and boat day and was so much fun! I took the boat over to meet up with friends and we had a great time spending the day on the lake!
These ladies are seriously so amazing. While I would never choose to have gotten sick or have Lyme Disease or have had to walk the painful road to get to this point... there are these amazingly unexpected blessings of illness that show up if you look for them and these three ladies are definitely some of them. I don't know if we would have connected if not for Lyme. I love how our conversations travel from dealing with this journey to life, dreams, and the future. We had such a great time laughing and spending the day on the water.
I can't believe that we are already into the second week of July of this summer. This summer seems to be flying so quickly. I want to grab onto the moments and just hold time still in some ways, and yet it continues to march forward and with that I know will come new adventures and joys.
Happy Monday friends! I hope that you have a wonderful beginning to your new week!
for details on shopping the post:
Moon Guide Book (Anchorage & Denali)// Moon Guide Book Alaska // Fodors Travel Alaska // Rand McNally Alaska Road Map // White Porch Lights // Tory Burch Sandals (Poppy Orange) // Earrings (originally from Target in 2014, very similar HERE!) // Black & White Polka Dot Headband, very similar HERE // similar porch chairs HERE
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